


When You Least Expect It

by Annide



Series: 1998, or the year everything changed [7]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-30
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2018-10-13 00:37:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10502799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annide/pseuds/Annide
Summary: Angelina Johnson's story: Angelina's journey through 1998 as she gets pregnant and her boyfriend locks himself inside his apartment to grieve a loss.





	

**March**

                It was late March, all the snow had melted by now, leaving yards wet and muddy. Times were scary with Voldemort being in power and no one looking like they were getting any closer to vanquish him. Harry Potter and his friends hadn't been seen in months, no one had any clue as to where they could be or what they were doing. No one, not even the Weasleys. Angelina's father had left the country several weeks earlier, wanting to go somewhere safe, at least for a while. She had refused to go with him. She didn't want to get away from the fight, get away from her boyfriend, George.

                However, no major event had happened in a while and it almost seemed like the calm before the storm. As it was, unbeknownst to Angelina or George. They were in bed one night, alone in the apartment above the twins' shop, as Fred was staying at Lee's for a few days. They enjoyed a nice intimate night, trying not to think about the future of the world, the way it was going now.

**April**

                Things derailed quickly enough. Harry was finally seen during Easter Break. He got caught and barely escaped Malfoy Manor. The downfall of this was, Ron was with him. And while it was comforting to the Weasleys to have a sign of life from him, it meant the Death Eaters were now aware they'd lied. He wasn't in fact sick, he was with Harry Potter, Voldemort's worst enemy. The whole family had to go into hiding quickly before they could be attacked. They all had to stop working and move into aunt Muriel's house.

                Angelina stayed at the empty house her father had left behind. She took all the precautions necessary whenever she visited George, so no one would see where she went. She was so focused on all the current events, on how their life had turned upside down once again, that she didn't even realise she didn't get her period that month. Who could blame her? After all, everyone had a lot on their minds.

**May**

                Angelina came to George's door the day before Fred's funeral. They hadn't spoken since the Battle. She'd heard he locked himself up in his apartment, but she wanted to give him some time alone to grieve. She knocked. There was no answer.

                "Hey, George. It's me, Angie."

                Still no answer.

                "I know you must be feeling awful and I want you to know, I'm here for you."

                She put her ear to the door, but couldn't hear anything.

                "I'm going to Fred's funeral tomorrow, maybe I'll see you there?"

                She waited for a little while, but when George still didn't make any noise, she left. A week later, she came back.

                "Hi, George."

                Once again, she got no answer. She sat on the floor, her back leaning on the door.

                "So, my dad came back yesterday. He was really happy to see me again. I think he missed me even more than I did him."

                Silence.

                "Anyway, we're going to the funeral tomorrow. I didn't know professor Lupin that well, and I'm not sure I ever met his wife, but everyone will be there and I want to support them, you know?"

                She got up, preparing to leave.

                "Oh, and Charlie came by on Tuesday. He told me you hadn't been eating all week, I hope you're letting that nice house elf feed you. I wouldn't want you to die too. Losing one of you is hard enough on everyone. Please come back to us. You know I won't give up."

                The day of Remus and Tonks' funeral, Angelina was prepared for her period to start, she'd always been on a pretty regular schedule in the past. But it did not. Neither did it happen the following days. However, she had read somewhere that those hormones could be affected by major life events. So she attributed it on the fact her boyfriend of many years had just lost his brother, to whom she'd always been a good friend, and to the stress of not knowing how George was doing.

                She went by the apartment regularly, but he never answered, never made a sound. She had a relationship with a door now. And with Verity, who kept asking her what to do about the shop. As if she knew, as if she cared. All she thought about was whether or not George would come back to her. She feared the loss of Fred might've broken him for good.

**June**

                It was mid-June and Angelina was visiting George's door like she did every week. She sat in her usual spot against the door early in the evening and started giving him news of everyone else. She'd been spending time with some of their friends from Hogwarts, Lee, Alicia and Katie as well as George's brother, Bill, and his wife.

                "I thought Fleur was an annoying snob when I first met her during the Triwizard Tournament, but she's actually really nice. She's been teaching me some very useful household spells."

                Angelina heard some kind of a pop, similar to someone apparating, but not as loud.

                "Anyway, Alicia and Katie are getting really close, I think they could really become something. Don't you think they'd be great together?"

                The only answer she got was the smell of warm food and sounds of some small struggle.

                "What's going on in there?"

                "Do not worry, Miss Angelina. Winky is taking care of it." A small voice replied through the door.

                "Oh, okay."

                Angelina wished she could be the one in there, helping George, trying to get him to eat, but only an house elf could get inside. She waited in silence as the smell of food made her more nauseous by the minute. After a few minutes, she couldn't stop herself and threw up right there in the hallway. A female house elf immediately appeared to her side.

                "Is Miss Angelina sick?"

                "It seems so. I've been feeling nauseous these past few weeks. But I've never thrown up before. I just couldn't stand that smell coming from the apartment. Sorry for the mess, I'll clean it up."

                "No. If Miss Angelina is sick, she should go home and rest, or see a Healer. Winky will take care of the mess."

                "Are you sure?"

                "Always."

                "Alright. But before I go, can you tell me what that was about earlier? That struggle I heard? Is George okay?"

                "George wouldn't eat my food. I had to force him. He barely ever eats anything, I can't let him skip a meal. I can only come once a day."

                "Well, thank you for doing what you can to help. I really appreciate it."

                "Thank Winky by taking care of yourself now."

                Angelina gave Winky a weak smile and left. On her way home, she started thinking. She was usually only nauseous during her period, which she should be having at the moment, but wasn't. And come to think of it, since she started feeling this way, she didn't get her period. She hadn't gotten her period since March.

                On her way home, Angelina bought a pregnancy test. As she waited in her home's small bathroom for the stick to give her an answer, she hoped the signs were wrong and this wasn't really happening. After all, George and her always used protection.

                It was positive.

                Angelina felt her life turn upside down. She was pregnant. She was carrying a baby and her boyfriend had been locked in his apartment, not showing any sign of life for a month and a half. What was she supposed to do? She couldn't possibly announce him the news through the door.

                Angelina didn't tell many people about this. She kept the secret between her dad, Lee, Katie and Alicia. She didn't want to announce the pregnancy to the Weasleys until they could do it properly, her and George together. Unless, of course, she had no other choice, but she hoped it wouldn't come to that.

**July**

                Angelina didn't visit George again until July had come. All she wanted to do was tell him about the baby, but she didn't think it would be fair to him to do it through that door, when he clearly wasn't ready for any of it. She knew she could do this on her own, maybe with some help from her friends, until he felt better, until he'd dealt with Fred's death as much as he could. She sat against the door again after the first week of July.

                "I don't know if you noticed that I didn't come for a while, but I'm back now. I had something to process and I needed time to do it. Sort of the way you need time to process losing Fred. Anyway, I need you and I really need to talk to you. But not like this, face to face. Please, George, come back. Everyone misses you so much."

                She stayed there, tears streaming down her face silently. How long could she wait for him to answer?

                A week later, she saw him. She was walking up Diagon Alley to visit him when she saw a man with long ginger hair and a matching beard near the closed Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. It was George, she could recognize him anywhere, even with uncut hair that made him resemble Bill. She followed him inside the building, but by the time she got to the door, he was already inside. The door was locked and he didn't answer her knock. When she heard the sounds of the shower coming on a few minutes later, she smiled and left. George seemed to be getting it back together.

                Angelina still didn't go back until the following week. She figured if he was ready and wanted to see her before then, he'd call her. He didn't. However, the lights were open in the shop when she arrived near it, and she could see a black-haired man moving in there. Maybe he was getting the place ready to reopen. She went upstairs and knocked. There was no answer, as usual. Angelina still had hope. The day would come soon for her to see George again, for her to tell him about their baby. She rubbed the small bump with a hopeful smile and left.

**August**

                One day of early August, Angelina came by and saw the shop had been reopened. She went near enough to be able to see George inside. It seemed he was the black-haired man she'd seen before. He didn't look entirely comfortable, but he was trying his best. She decided not to go in. She didn't want him to learn about her pregnancy in front of all the strangers in there and there was no way he wouldn't see the bump if she stood in front of him.

                She climbed upstairs and sat in her usual spot against the apartment door to wait for him. As she had thought, George had enough of people down there soon after and decided to call it a day. He stopped at the end of the hallway when he saw her.

                "Angie."

                "George. It's nice to finally see you again."

                "A few weeks ago, you said you really needed to talk to me, what was that about?"

                "So you were listening, I was never sure."

                "I was."

                Angelina stood up, making her baby bump visible, no longer hidden by her knees propped up against it.

                "I'm pregnant, George."

                "What? How did this happen? Who..?"

                "The doctor estimated the conception at late March. I guess the condom failed."

                "You mean it's mine?"

                "Of course it's yours."

                "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

                "I only figured it out myself in June, and I didn't want to announce that kind of things through a door."

                "Right, I'm sorry I haven't been-"

                "It's fine, I know you had to deal with what happened in your own way, in your own time. I hope this isn't too much for you, you look like you're still getting a handle on things."

                "I'll be okay, Angie. Why don't you come inside so we can talk some more about all this?"

                "Sure," Angelina smiled, "I'll fill you in on everything."

                From that moment on, Angelina spent most of her evenings, once her and George were done with their workday, at the apartment. They were both busy preparing dinner one night, a week after they'd reunited when Angelina froze suddenly and smiled.

                "George!"

                "What is it?"

                "The baby's moving."

                George let go of the pot he was stirring and put his hand on Angelina's round belly. They looked at each other, delighted, happier than they'd thought they could ever be. They were having a baby, it felt real now. An actual living baby was growing inside Angelina.

                Angelina's father had known she was expecting from early on, almost as soon as she'd learned about it. With George finally back into the world, no longer locked inside his apartment, it was time for the Weasleys to be included. When Molly invited them to dinner at the end of the month to celebrate the fact Ginny was entering her last year at Hogwarts, it seemed like the perfect occasion. Both Arthur and Molly would be there, as well as Bill, Fleur, Percy and Ginny. Ron and Hermione had to miss it, they had a lot left to do to be ready for work and school the next day. Their summer in Australia and move into a new apartment had caused them to be extremely busy in the two weeks since they came back. Harry had been invited, but cancelled at the last minute because Teddy wasn't feeling well and hadn't stopped crying all day.

                George and Angelina made sure to be the last ones to arrive. She stayed outside while he told everyone they had something to tell them. She entered and, as everyone saw the baby bump, George and her announced the news together, saying the words felt more official and proud than simply letting people see for themselves.

                "We're having a baby."

                The whole family cheered. Molly actually shed tears of joy. The last few months had been so hard, there was nothing she'd hoped for more than good news. And a grandchild was the happiest of news.

**September**

                As summer ended and everyone got reacquainted with their school year routine, George and Angelina had a Healer's appointment. The big one. The one where they got to learn the sex of their baby.

                "I don't want to know. I want to have the surprise. Just knowing whether our baby is healthy is enough for me." George said as they were waiting in the examination room.

                "Well, would you mind if I knew? I'm really curious."

                "You can even tell everyone else who wants to know, as long as it's clear I don't want to know until the birth."

                The Healer joined them and an hour later they were knocking at Shell Cottage's door. Bill's wife had always annoyed Angelina quite a bit in the past, but they'd become good friends over the past few months. When it turned out neither George nor his brother wanted to know the sex of the baby, Angelina pulled Fleur into the kitchen to share the news.

                "We're having a boy!"

                "Oh, that is wonderful!"

                "I think we'll name him Fred, after George's brother. He's mentioned the idea a few times."

                "That would be nice. I cannot wait for Bill and I to have a child of our own."

                "I'm sure it'll happen, you're such a great couple and you deserve to be happy."

                The two women hugged for the first time, a moment that would mark the beginning of their future friendship.               

**October**

                George spent the weekends of October cleaning out Fred's room. He was ready to go through his twin's things and decide what he would keep, what he'd send to his parents, what he'd send to Lee and what he'd get rid of. It was nearly Halloween when he went to Angelina to tell her they could start making that room into a nursery.

                "You agreed to babysit Teddy today, but I'm sure we can do both."

                "Of course we can. I forgot, why can't Draco take care of him while Harry's at work again?"

                "He's visiting his parents. And Andromeda's been sick, nothing serious, but enough that it's better she doesn't have too much contact with the baby."

                Draco dropped Teddy off on his way to Malfoy Manor. Both George and Angelina felt weird about him coming by the apartment. They'd always known him as such a mean kid and it was strange and sort of unreal to see him being polite and telling them about the baby's needs and habits. He gave them his condolences for the loss of Fred and they did the same as Angelina had heard the news about his boyfriend, Theodore.

                After Draco had left, they brought Teddy along to shop in Diagon Alley for furniture and other such things they'd need to have when their baby would come. They hit a block when trying to pick a colour of paint for the walls. They couldn't decide and had been there quite a while. George thought he'd ask Teddy as a joke, to make Angelina laugh and cut the tension. He leaned down a little so his head would be level with the baby's.

                "What do you think, Teddy? What colour should we paint our baby's room?"

                To their surprise, the little boy's hair changed from purple to green.

                "Did he just answer?" Angelina wondered.

                "I think so? One way or another, green sounds good to me."

                "Guess we're painting our nursery green. Thanks for the help, Teddy."

                Teddy smiled and his hair turned ginger.

                "Aww, George, I think he likes you."

                They spent the rest of the day getting the nursery ready, using magic of course. It felt like the first time in a long time they were having actual fun, laughing and playing pranks on each other. It was like they'd found each other again, and having Teddy around to take care of got them to believe they really could do this. They'd manage to be together with a baby. It helped them finally let go of their fear of being too broken by the war and its consequences to raise a child.

**November**

                It was still early, they had over a month left before the birth, and yet, they were ready. They finished the nursery halfway through the month and put all the supplies they'd need in their place. All they could do now is wait. And get some rest before they had a baby waking them up at all hours.

                George got the store ready for the Christmas madness. Verity knew what to do when the baby came early and he couldn't be there all the time anymore. He thought it'd be nice to have someone else working there with him again. It was so much easier to get everything done when Fred was there. George still missed his brother every day, but the pain was tolerable now.

**December**

                Mrs Weasley invited everyone over for New Year's Eve. Angelina was happy to see all the Weasleys, and Lee for the first time since summer. She was glad to see he was feeling better. She seized the occasion to finally introduce her father to George's family. However, her happiness to be there, surrounded by those she loved most, didn't stop her from sitting most of the evening. She couldn't stand very long anymore. It was past her due date and she was tired. She wanted the baby to come out. She had loved being pregnant, but it was enough now. She wanted to meet her little boy.

                Her wish was granted later that night. Her water broke as they were getting ready for the countdown. They left for St Mungo's just as midnight came and brought a new year, hopefully filled with as much happiness as the last one had been with tragedy.


End file.
